eddie-and-jennifer

[eddie-and-jennifer]

May You Live In Interesting Times...

Facebook showed me pictures of Edwin and I at Rouleau at the set of Corner Gas. That was an important weekend for us. It marked the turning point in our relationship, when two friends who had known each other for more than a year realized that maybe this was going to be something different. As I reflected on the past 9 years, it made me realize that I’ve not given an update in quite some time, so here goes…

I turned 33 recently and as a present to myself I took the day off. I used a vacation day and did nothing but take naps, watch TV and eat take out. While binging a favorite show, which just so happens to be set in my favorite city, at the peak of an episode one of the main characters muses to the other “You know the Chinese curse… ‘May you live in interesting times’?” and the other character responds, “These certainly are interesting times. But do you remember the second half of that curse? …May you find what you’re looking for.”

At one point I was sprawled out on the couch looking out our giant living room windows at the buildings through the trees and it was reminiscent of when I lived in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and would peer through the trees at the buildings on my poster of Central Park, displayed prominently in my living room, while dreaming of what life could be like in the big city. I realized in this moment that I have nearly everything that young girl dreamed of. I have an incredible husband who loves me, who doubles my ministry, and is willing to sacrifice a lot to make my dreams come true. I live in the Big Apple! But more than that, I am living in the Hells Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in a small, well-maintained walk-up building. Everyday I walk down tree-lined streets past people jogging, making deliveries, or walking their dog to get to the subway, where I travel down to the Financial District to work for a non-profit, Movement.org, where by no other explanation than God’s grace, the President took a chance on me and hired me to do a job I had never done before, Director of Operations. It’s been five months now and I could not be more content in that role. It’s the first time in a very long time that I can say that keeping a pulse on other opportunities isn’t at the back of my mind.

Pics from the Manhattan Street Art Tour we took recently.

It’s been quite some time since I wrote, and the last time I admit it was a little cryptic and unfortunately I’m not going to go into too many more details now. A lot was transpiring at the time and we were uncertain of the future. The move to Brooklyn was incredibly difficult and the cause of 3 unable-to-breathe-dry-heaving-from-uncontrollable-sobbing-unsure-if-we-would-survive-the-week panic attacks. Edwin’s time was completely consumed by school and having seen a glimpse of opportunity I had pieced together an unconventional mis-mashing of part-time work so that I could take advantage of an opportunity to work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, alongside Michael Keller (Tim Keller’s son). The work Redeemer was doing was integral in our decision to stay, so I couldn’t pass up getting my foot in the door. But as the saying goes, everything changes in a New York minute. It was an extremely challenging season that pushed me to the brink of what I thought I could handle. It was the only time in my entire life where I could actively see where I needed to grow and how God was going to use the current struggle to prompt that growth right in the middle of it all. Both Edwin and I learned a lot from the time at Redeemer. We grew closer to each other and gained a lot of perspective during that time and have become much more focused as a result. And right when I felt like I had successfully come through to the other side, Movement.org approached me.

Edwin is rocking his Master’s program with an A average! He is working with a local non-profit, Voca Center, that helps people find and follow their calling, and he is on the Board of, and helping drive a national non-profit, Hear My Story, that is working to reduce stigma around mental health challenges and provide hope through storytelling. If you haven’t heard Edwin’s story in full, please check it out. I know it’s long, but it’s worth the 10 minutes!

I also got into school and start tomorrow! Tomorrow is the beginning of what I anticipate to be one of the busiest seasons of our lives, and even though I cringe when I look at our schedule, I am excited about the direction we’re heading. These are definitely interesting times. The question is if we will find what we’re looking for…

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Coming out of Hiatus

So the last time I wrote I was on my way back from the wedding of one of our most favorite people. When we got back we went to an open house for an organization called Gotham Writers.  In a creative writing class, we heard a young woman describe New York as a character in her story whom she was in a rollercoaster relationship with.  Someone that made her laugh.  Someone that made her cry.  Sometimes on the same day.

Sitting on the train on our way home we talked about how it had been interesting during our then 6 months here, but New York had not made either of us cry.  Looking back on my life there are a few moments that seemed ironically foreshadowing.  This night was one of them.  

Can be found on the wall in the Museum of the City of New York.

Looking Back

It’s really hard for me to write when I’m acutely stressed. I don’t do sympathy writing well and I really don’t do the dramatic rendering of my challenges in front of the court of public opinion. One of the biggest challenges with writing when things are rough is that I don’t want to be disingenuous. I want to be thoughtful and real, but there are also cards we needed to keep close to our chest at times, and sometimes situations where I want to respect someone’s privacy. Looking back on the last year, it’s hard to describe all the things that have happened, and even if I tried, it would take way more words than I’m willing to write on the last day of Christmas break.

So let me tell you some statistics from the last year.

Moves - 1 (we live in Brooklyn now. The apartment is small, but the homeyness has improved 1000 fold.)

Jobs - 7 (I went from one to two to three then down to two. Edwin went from two to three then back down to one)

Subway Rides - 1371

Parking Tickets - 4

Worn out pairs of shoes - 9

Textbooks - 6 (Do I count the additional 10 we just bought for Edwin’s next semester?)

Panic Attacks 5 - (4 of those were directly related to the beast that NYC real estate is)

MacBooks destroyed - 1 (Pro tip: Never enjoy a birthday glass of Prosecco while laying next to a computer)

Glasses of Wine - …a larger number than I’m willing to publish. :o

A rainbow in Williamsburg.

Looking Forward

Edwin just finished his first semester with an A! There is a lot to learn and he’s soaking up as much as possible. I am toying around with taking some classes myself.

I am thrilled to have said goodbye to 2017 last night with some great friends and am excited about the possibilities of 2018. I have more resolve and more direction, but I am also very aware that everything can change in a New York minute…  What I am sure of is that I am excited about 2018! We are more determined to not be held back than ever before. We have accomplished a lot here and even though a lot of it hasn’t turned out the way we had imagined, we know we are capable of achieving our dreams… and that God has got this!

First selfie of 2018 at Ben & Helen’s NYE celebration in New Jersey.

Happy New Year!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

We’ve Got Some News...

Well, more accurately, Edwin has some news... 

Hello friends!  For those of you who know me well, will know that I have an unusual story.  You will know that my academic journey has been extremely painful.  And that completing my BA at Briercrest College was monumental in my life.  Firstly, for having made it to the finish line, when right from my first moment on this earth the odds were stacked against me.  And secondly, but maybe more emphatically, because I would never have to write another *bleeping* paper in my entire life.  

A lot has happened since I walked across that stage 6 years ago.

A number of months ago I did an assessment with a consultant which pointed very clearly in a direction that I had not ever considered going.  I started asking close friends and old profs what they thought and I got a resounding YES!  After a lot of prayer, struggle and paperwork, I utter these next words with trepidation: I will be attending NYACK’s Alliance Graduate School of Counseling starting this fall to pursue a Masters in Mental Health Counseling in Manhattan’s Financial District.  

I know it will be a great fit for me.  It will better equip me to blend one of the things I am most fascinated by, psychology, with the thing I am most passionate about, the Gospel.  It will give me the much-needed training to help others; to use the gospel and psychology together for better mental health.  

If you’re the praying type, please send them up. If you’re the encouraging type, please send me your encouraging words.  If you’re the paper editing type, or if you would like to help in any other way please let me know.

I look forward to keeping you posted!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

A Week in Pictures

This past week we had the opportunity to head out to the PNW. 

Welcome to Monroe.  A teeny tiny town with 15K people.   And our lovely friends who we stayed with live a ways out of Monroe.  They are some of Edwin’s oldest friends and she is very pregnant.  A huge pregnant belly I totally forgot to take a picture of...but I did get to feel the baby hiccup.  They live in a secluded spot where you can watch the fog dissipate over the trees in complete silence as the sun rises, cuddle with the dog in front of the fireplace and cook gourmet meals in their oversized welcoming kitchen.

Then we drove up to Canada for the day and ate the worst Chinese food we’ve ever eaten.  But we were totally ok with it because it was with my adorable grandparents.  My grandpa just turned 90.  Seriously, 90 years.  Can you even believe it?  I asked him what the biggest change is he’s seen.  I got the answer I expected, and we enjoyed some good conversation.  It seems that I did not take a picture of ANY of the people we saw, so you’re just going to have to imagine.

Next: Seattle

Stopped by and saw my old boss.  Were super disappointed that Cafe Mox changed chef’s and kicked off the menu the nachos I had been dreaming about...but the company made up for it!  Then had lunch with an old coworker.  It’s good to see old friends.

We went for dinner with our friend Brett (also, not pictured) at our favorite Seattle Mexican restaurant, Poquitos.  Apparently, they served crickets, which Brett proceeded to order.  This is what you look like when you eat a guacamole chip seasoned with crickets.

And no trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to our favorite cupcake joint: Cupcake Royale.

Next stop: Wenatchee.  Our trip to the PNW was for Ryan’s wedding, so we zipped off to the AirBnb with the most adorable and cuddly dogs.  You walk over to them, and they roll over, waiting for a belly rub.  You have to reward that!

Finally, we finished off the week at a gorgeous wedding.  One of our dearest friends, Ryan, got married.  We were so happy to seem him with the love of his life.  It was a seriously adorable farm wedding.  We sat on hay bails to watch them commit themselves to each other in front of a weeping willow tree. I apologize in advance as I’m about to wedding spam you!

I think the title fits.  He IS the best man!

A precious moment of them enjoying conversation with each other while they were taking pictures.

Look at his face.  We’ve known him for four years, and I’ve never seen more adoration on this man’s face.  

It was such a precious week.  We were so happy to be there and see everyone again.  Though I honestly did miss New York.  Even though it was an incredibly long travel day home, I got on the subway, walked up to my standing desk in my midtown office and couldn’t help but smile.  

[eddie-and-jennifer]

“Not what you expect.  Everything you want."

The first week we were in NYC we went everywhere together.  That meant when there was a Men's group or Women's group at Redeemer, we would both go.  When I would be waiting for Edwin, I would sit in the foyer and make use of the wifi.  While Edwin waited for me, being his curious and social self, he made friends with the front desk guy, Peter.  

Peter was intrigued by our story and he had a friend, Stephen, that my husband "had to meet".  Stephen is a church planter here in NYC and has a pretty inspiring story himself.  He and Edwin went out for coffee a couple times. 

Incredible NYC Sunset

Through a high school connection (I went to high school in Alberta, which is what makes this unusual), we got connected with this sweet Christian woman who owns a catering staffing company here.  Just barely into our third week in the city we started working for her.  On my very first shift I got to meet Meg Ryan while at a party held in the apartment of the guy who created Ted Talks.

Catering is the best and the worst all at the same time.  It's surprisingly good money and you work in fancy locations, often with great views and regularly bring home leftover wine and food and flowers. That first job was pretty idyllic, but let me tell you... They are not all that way. The shifts can be up to 16 hours and you are on your feet the entire time. Sometimes you are working on a rooftop wearing all black on a literal 100 degree day.  Sometimes the people you work with are rude. Sometimes the guests are rude.

This type of gig work is often filled with actors because each gig is separate, which means you can choose when you work.  But for non-theater people like us, it means there is no consistency in your schedule. Sometimes you work 50 hours in a week.  Sometimes you work 10. Sometimes you get home at midnight. Sometimes you get home at 4:00am.  

Fast forward a couple of exhausting months. We've started to get our bearings in the city and decide to start preparing to look for career jobs. We started taking a resume/job search skills class.  Then out of the blue, Steve, (the church planter whom Peter connected my husband with) shoots us and email and says he knows this guy who is looking for some admin help in his office.  I zip my resume right over to him and I get a call from a guy named Erik.  He doesn't know Stephen but through some other guy my resume ended up in his hands, so we do a phone interview.  Then an in-person interview and then I wait and wait and impatiently wait some more.  Then we do some negotiating, I receive an offer letter, we do some more negotiating and before I know it, I am at an outlet mall buying work clothes for my fancy New York job.

This was a job in an industry I hadn't even considered and literally knew nothing about. As I read the company's website, prepping for my interview, I misunderstood the scientific terminology and thought they did something different than they do... All the way through my first week.  This job is not even remotely what I planned for.  I didn't even apply for it.  If it wasn't for my husband's outgoing nature, I would not be working for Tethis Labs.  This is a string of connections that we could not have planned even if we tried. It is absolutely and unequivocally a gift from God.

It's nearly been two months. And more than just understanding what it is we do, I have a job I love.  We just spent the last week setting up a new office space.  I got to pick out nearly every piece of furniture. And my gracious husband spent a week with me in the office setting it up. I get to define my role as the company grows and get to grow my skills base.

My lovely husband putting together five offices worth of Ikea furniture.

Some of the furniture he put together!

My Sit/Stand Bamboo desk and the super fun anti-fatigue mat.  

I am working in the garment district and as I walk to the train, passing specialty fabric and clothing shops, I glance down 7th Avenue and see the bottom of Times Square shining back at me.  This city is a dream. This job is a dream. Seriously, my "perfect job" list didn't even have some of the incredible aspects of this job.  Only God could have picked this out for me.

My husband has been working diligently to try to make all my dreams come true. We are in New York which is in and of itself a show of love from my husband, but he is going above and beyond.  I've always known his incredible work ethic, but he has far exceeded any expectation I had.  And more than that, he has embraced my cheesy idyllic nature when it come to NYC.

My favorite New York movie is You've Got Mail.  There is this one part where Tom Hanks, writes in an email to Meg Ryan "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."  When we were watching that movie I said to Edwin, "Now that we're in NYC, once fall comes I'm going to need my own bouquet of sharpened pencils."  I was entirely serious and completely joking at the same time.  And then just this past week, my husband dropped by with the most beautiful bouquet of sharpened pencils. Thank-you husband for helping to make all my dreams come true.  

While there are a few things that have been extremely challenging here, God is moving and I could not be more excited to see what he has in store for us next!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Pros & Cons

So sometimes I don't write because I get busy and forget.  Sometimes I don't write because I don't want it just to be a list of things we're doing; I want it to be more meaningful... and I'm waiting for creative inspiration.  But, this time, neither of those two reasons are true.

If I'm honest, the reason I haven't written in a while is that there are a few things that have been pretty challenging here.  And because we are still going through them, I cannot write about them.  At least not without potential consequences.  And even though we have done a few really fun things it felt incredibly disingenuous to write fun, happy, upbeat posts when I was feeling almost unbearable anxiety.

And while those challenging things have not entirely worked themselves out, they have made progress and most importantly the anxiety is no longer crippling.

So instead of being disproportionately cheerful, I've decided to share with you what we consider the biggest pros and cons of being in the Big Apple!

Pro: New Yorker's are extremely community minded.  Everyone understands that life in NYC has its challenges, so there is this general sense that "we're in this together."  It's not unusual for a regular New Yorker to see someone look lost and offer to help.  It's not unusual to ask a stranger on the street a question and end up going for coffee or brunch with them.  Or have someone you met while catering an event invite you to sit in on a yoga class they teach and then take you out for doughnuts.

Con:  City summers are almost unbearable.  The mass amounts of buildings makes this place essentially a clay oven.  The sun heats up the brick and steel buildings EARLY, and they hold that ungodly triple digit heat A-L-L  D-A-Y  L-O-N-G!  For W-E-E-K-S on end!

Pro: There are fun and interesting people everywhere.  For those of you who know my husband, he loves chatting with all sorts of individuals.  His curiosity knows no bounds in NYC, and since everyone is so community minded people have no hesitation chatting it up.

Con: There are people everywhere. Want a seat at (fill in ANY place)?  You must hover annoyingly over anyone who looks like they are close to being done or join a stranger's table. Childhood puppy guarding takes on a whole new (and acceptable) meaning in NYC.

This was a painting in a bar who’s artist was a regular and all of the people in the painting are depicting regulars as well. I’m just going to skip over all the other things that should be said about this painting...  

Pro: There is a new and exciting thing literally on every corner.  Want to try a new restaurant? Try restaurant week or Groupon or Travel Zoo.  Looking for a puppy fix? Go to Puppies'N'Pints. Want to dive down the street on a Slip'N'Slide?  Go to Summer Streets.  If you are bored in New York, it's by choice.

Con: $$$  We have friends who's payment on their 5-bedroom house (mind you, it is 30 mins from the closest town) is equivalent to the cost of a studio here.  If you don't know the insider tricks, even the biggest pocketbook will be feeling the strain of NYC.

Subway Art!

Pro: The Subway. You can get literally everywhere by public transit. You get this particular warm glow in your heart when the train pulls up just as you get to the platform and the train you're transferring to does the same, making your 30 min commute a 20 min one. Absolutely no need for a car here. No need to consider parking difficulty or cost when going to an event.  You walk to the subway and climb the stairs out of the subway, which means you're in better shape. Your friend offers a second glass of wine, no need to pass... You're not driving. No need to watch calories... You walk a ton.  Though regular day-drinking and pizza-binging does counteract all the extra exercise. Haha!

Con: The Subway. You're making good time and then "train traffic ahead" causes your train to come to a halt for ten mins between stops where there is no cell service.  Then you get to the station and find out the train you're transferring to is not making local stops because of a "sick passenger" so now you reroute making two additional transfers, one on a train so packed the door barely closes and then someone farts.  You exit the train into a station that is 10 degrees WARMER than the oven that is outside, the wind of the passing train feels like a blow dryer so that "glisten" quickly turns into beads of sweat as you jog up the stairs. You show up to work 35 mins late dripping with sweat.

More Subway Art!

Until next time! XO

[eddie-and-jennifer]

The City That Never Sleeps (Part 2)

When I last left you, we had decided to go to Las Vegas.  I was emotional and exhausted sleeping in Minah’s bed but Edwin couldn’t sleep.

I’d like to take a moment to talk about Minah.  She is an absolute blessing in our life.  As I mentioned we met her in an elevator after a Redeemer church service and she pretty quickly welcomed us into her life.  New Yorker’s don’t have a lot of space.  Housing is tight quarters here (though that is a rant for a different day, because in my opinion it’s not because there isn’t space, but it’s because this city was established so long ago that space wasn’t designed as well as we can today and no one has changed it since.  Sorry.  End rant!). But more than just tight quarters, homes are considered a very intimate space in NYC.  It is not unusual for friends to have known each other for years and have never seen inside each other’s homes.  And even though Minah was in the middle of a huge, stressful project at work, she still offered to give up her space to us.  And more than just offering a corner of floor, she gave us a bed and made us feel more at home than we could have ever imagined.  

“Manhattenhenge” is the two times a year that the sunset lines up perfectly with the streets.  This is a extremely crappy picture of that.  Do I get any points for effort?

So let’s dig back into the story. Edwin couldn’t sleep.  He was up all night struggling with our decision.  This vision, these people we had met and then that conversation with Heather.  Literally minutes after we made the decision to leave Heather came into our lives and turned a little grain of sand into a giant boulder.  It was something that I was exhausted enough to dismiss, but he just couldn’t ignore.  When I woke up in the morning we had a talk.  Neither of us felt called to Vegas.  Sure, we had a fun friend there, but it never felt like a place that we’d call home. (Re-read our Vegas post for why)  This vision that Redeemer has is exactly what we’ve been dreaming about. It’s exactly what we’ve prayed for. Didn’t God know that this wasn’t the timeline we had in mind?

It’s a scary thing to uproot plans…especially when you’re NOT replacing them with new ones. We feel like we were supposed to be a part of this vision at Redeemer.  How so you ask?  Good question.  Your guess is as good as mine. So for now, we’re stepping out in faith and settling down here, in New York City.  

I cannot believe that I was in this magnificent city for TWO MONTHS before I saw a Broadway show!

Within a week of that decision we had signed a 6-month lease in an apartment share (we have a private bedroom and private bathroom and share a kitchen and living room with another couple), and both started a temporary job through a connection with a friend from high school.  And have found a place to park the car for the time being.  

We’ve covered the basics… but now it feels like we’re standing in a mound of tiny puzzle pieces and we’ve got to put that puzzle together without the picture as a guide. Sometimes the pieces fit together perfectly, like when Edwin went to a Men’s breakfast and found us a free parking spot.  But sometimes… sometimes they just won’t fit together.  

To be continued…

[eddie-and-jennifer]

The Big Apple (Part 1)

Hello old friend!  I keep thinking about you, but wasn't quite sure how to tell you about what's been going on.  There has been so much, and I didn't know where to start so I've procrastinated.  Now I've let so much time pass that this is going to be the beginning of a series because I can't possibly tell it all in one shot.  So let's start from the beginning.

Aren’t the DC cherry blossoms just breathtaking?

Saturday April 2nd we say good-bye to our incredible couch surfing host John in DC and start driving towards New York.  After about $50 of tolls we finally entered the Lincoln Tunnel.  The excitement very quickly disappeared as we navigated driving in Manhattan to the next couch surfing experience in Hells Kitchen.  It took us ALL day, but we unloaded our stuff, found a place to park the car (in Brooklyn), got our Metro cards and took the subway back.  We collapsed exhausted on the floor of the stranger, Luis, who was kind enough to open his home to us.

Sunday morning we found our way to Redeemer Presbyterian Church and were given a glimpse into the Rise Campaign (more on that later).  After the service we got in the elevator so we could catch coffee hour on the 5th floor.  In the elevator we met Minah.  She works in app design and has a wonderful heart.  Not even 20 minutes later Minah did something crazy - she invites us to stay with her. (More on her later)

After coffee hour we did a very New York thing and went for brunch.  On our way we shot a message to a Sunday community group as we know the best way one makes connections is through community.  Jay amazingly responded almost instantly.  Today's CG was a little different, it was a neighborhood gathering.  4 community groups came together for a party. Sounded wonderful.  When we got there we discovered that neighborhood gatherings were like a crash course on the Rise Campaign. When Redeemer opened its doors in the 80's, 1% of center city New Yorker's were regular church attenders.  As of 2016, that number is 5%. Redeemer has a vision to see that number RISE to 15% over the next 10 years.  They will be training new leaders, planting churches and expanding the non-profits which serve a lot of physical needs.

Who says that NYC is overcrowded?  We had this whole subway car to ourselves.

I am sure you most of you know how close to our heart a vision like this is. We both felt very unsettled.  New York was never the final destination.  We have a lot more places we want to travel to.  We started toying with the idea of staying, looking at apartments and the employment opportunities.  This city seemed too big and too expensive to tackle.  We had a couple days of very little sleep, constant activity and lots of emotion around a potential shift in our plans.  Those couple of days resulted in a deep discouragement. It all came to a crux as we walked through Central Park and tears came pouring down my face. We had decided to leave.  We had job opportunities and housing available in Vegas.  We had no idea what we were doing here in New York.  Vegas made way more sense on our current trajectory.

Since it was time for dinner, we found a Groupon for the Burger Bistro and I bawled the whole way there.  I had always thought of myself as a New Yorker at heart and I was coming to the realization that maybe I wasn't strong enough to be one.  We finished up dinner and just as we were about to leave a lady walked up to the window and stopped to read the posted menu.  Eddie got her attention to alert her to the Groupon.  As I came back from the bathroom my husband was in the middle of a chat with her.  Heather was a lawyer and a real estate broker.  A play by play of the convo seems a little extreme since it ended up being well over an hour, so I will just say that she spoke to our hearts in a deep and profound way.

After my crazy impulse buy of a bakers dozen of New York bagels (who wouldn't want carbs as comfort?), we ended up back at Minah's house.  Exhausted, I collapsed on the bed and went right to sleep.  Little did I know, Edwin couldn't sleep and was up a good chunk of the night.

To be continued...

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Wild Horses & Cherry Blossoms

I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written.  Life has been kind of a whirlwind these days.

When I last wrote, we were lounging in a timeshare that my wonderful husband got us for free in Ocean City, Maryland.  We had big plans for that week.  We had bought a bunch of fruits & veggies.  We wanted to read books, snack on healthy food, go for runs on the beach & take long baths.  The week turned out a lot differently than we planned.  It was the first insight into the fact that we are exhausted.  We slept in, watched movies, napped and sipped tea.  It was incredibly refreshing to have a single place to stay for an entire week.  It was amazing how quickly each day got away from us. It was amazing how quickly the week seemed to disappear.  

We did get a chance to go for a long bike ride through an island filled with wild horses.

And take the fun cycles out on the boardwalk!  

As that week wound down, it became pretty clear to us that we might need to have somewhere to call our own sooner rather than later.  

 Our next stop was Washington, DC!  We did the couch surfing thing again.  It was an absolutely amazing experience.  We stayed with a lovely guy named John who worked in the IT field in the educational technology field.  He had the most amazing condo and he was awesome to chat with.  It was very close to the best non-hotel accommodations we’ve had on this trip! And not only that, DC is an absolutely beautiful city.  There is so much history there.  It is humbling to be standing in front of grand monuments and visiting places where so many important breakthroughs have been made.  

It was particularly powerful for us to read the speeches at the Lincoln Memorial after having visited so many confederate museums and historical landmarks in the south.  

And how can I not mention the cherry blossoms…. Oh the cherry blossoms!

Now we’re in The Big Apple! It has been a crazy whirlwind there and that whirlwind is likely not going to slow anytime soon.  I apologize in advance for what I know will be a while before I post again, but I promise when I do, it will be good! ;)

[eddie-and-jennifer]

How to Drive - Southern Style

Since leaving California we have discovered that there are apparently different rules of the road.  (To clarify, we by no means follow these new rules but this is what we've discovered.)

Speed Limit - don't be fooled, the posted number is actually an equation.  The other factor in the equation is 20, but there is some discrepancy as to whether it's plus or minus.  Just go with whichever answer you got! (Almost exclusively people drive 20 miles over the speed limit... unless they are driving 20 miles under the speed limit.)

Lanes - The most successful people in life color outside the lines... So use designated lanes in the most creative way possible.  Feel free to straddle, use the dotted lines like cones to weave between.  The most creative will use the green unmarked "lanes" on each side of the highway (ditches) - sometimes for taking a break, sometimes for a less boring ride.  Either way, the sky is the limit.  Only your imagination will restrict you.

Signal lights - it's obvious that my car is going in the most logical path, so signal lights are a little redundant.  They are best used for comedic relief during the incredibly boring act of driving.  It's hilarious when you put on a right light and turn left.  Again, your imagination is the only thing that restricts you.  

Passing - the left lane is what the cops watch, so it's best to weave through traffic like you are a nimble bunny hopping around turtles.  And remember, they ARE turtles, so if there is not enough room, just jump in front anyways, turtles automatically slow down for your ease of movement. It's much safer that way.

Left Lane - if there is another car visible ahead of you, it's quite likely you'll catch up and need to pass, so it's a waste of time and energy to move back into the right lane.  It's obvious why you are there (see signal lights) and passing is best done weaving style, so just stay planted in that left lane.

We are now technically out of the South and we're hoping that the crazy drivers will calm a tad. We've had a wonderful and pollen covered time in South Carolina.  Then learned vast amounts of info about the civil war in Virginia.  Right now we're enjoying a quiet beach week in Maryland and are heading to DC this weekend.  Looking forward to a lot of museum exploring!

Here are a few pics!

This little guy was just hanging out on a log in the middle of a swamp. (Breaux Bridge, LA)

The best jambalaya that Eddie has ever had. (New Orleans, LA)

Rainbow Row. (Charleston, SC)

A building who's architect was literally inspired by the baked potato that showed up on his plate at a dinner. (Richmond, VA)

The second best cupcake I’ve ever had.  AND it was vegan! (Richmond, VA)

Ocean view from the time share we’re staying in.  It raged for the first few days during a late winter storm. (Ocean City, MD)

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Big Issues

Most of my writing has been light and upbeat and about all the fabulous places we’ve been seeing, but our adventure is just as much of an educational adventure as a “fun” adventure… and not everything happening in the world is so cheery, so I apologize in advance for a more weighty piece.

Racism

There is far, far, far more racism in the south than I ever expected.  My experiences in Canada and Seattle have shown more of classism than anything else.  Not that classism is any better, it’s just a tad different and my experience has shown it to be much more understated.  Once we left California it became quite apparent that racism is alive, well and rampaging through the south.  We got into a discussion with a group of people on a tour boat in San Antonio, Texas and I was astounded to hear a white Texan loudly describe to me his robust agreement with some very racist and vulgar statements made by Trump about people from Mexico, while this guy was sitting next to 5 ladies (varied ages from pre-teen to grandmother) from Mexico.  His unexpected response to me explaining the definition of racism, he responded with a resounding, “except when it’s true!”  This will be the only actual story because I don’t want to waste a lot of words on racist people, they don’t deserve it, but it has brought to light the extremity of an issue that I cannot even believe we are still having.  

Immigration

During our stop in El Paso, Tx we had the opportunity to couch surf.  For those who don’t know what that is, Couchsurfing.com is a site that connects people who are looking for a place to stay with people who are offering their “couch” (or spare bedroom).  It’s a very interesting way to travel.  You stay with a local who is offering their place to you free of charge in exchange for lively conversation and maybe a small token of appreciation. It attracts a certain type of host and a certain type of traveler – specifically those who value immersive cultural learning and have a strong love for people.  Officially we were staying with a guy named Chuck, but he owned a house and had a roommate and his brother just moved back in due to a bad break up, both of whom we spent much more time conversing with...particularly because Chuck was deaf.  Both nights we spent there most of our evening was engulfed in amazing conversations with Chuck’s roommate Victor.  He was born just a couple miles away in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Both of his parents were deaf. They struggled with life in Mexico, as there are just not the social infrastructure there to support deaf people.  Victor was brought into the US illegally when he was 1 years old.  His dad legally worked (apparently getting a SSN back then was a tad easier than today) and paid taxes.  Victor now has opportunity, given to him by Obama and is a brilliant pre-med student.  Victor and Chuck’s brother strongly encouraged us to visit Ciudad Juarez, and despite my anxiety associated with visiting a non-touristy part of Mexico, we went.  We parked our car less than 3 miles away from the guys house and walked across the border.  One minute you are in the US and a couple minute walk later you are on broken pavement and walking past blocks of abandoned, dilapidated buildings in the city that just a few short years ago was known as the murder capitol of the world. The poverty is heartbreaking.  As someone who went through all the steps of the legal immigration process, I’ve been told that I’m supposed to be quite hard on immigration issues.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT about to say we should have open borders.  I’m NOT about to launch into a political rant.  What I AM doing is feeling the tension.  This country (and Canada as well) was built on immigration.  The only people who can say that their family originated the US or Canada are Native Americans. There is a tension between protecting our country from legitimate risk and continuing the legacy of immigration in this country.  As Christians we are called to look after others, especially the poor.  I’m pretty sure that doesn’t mean only the white neighbors that you like.  That brings tension to this situation.  I think the one-liner, “easy” answers that have been tossed around during the us election are ludicrous.  This issue is a lot more complicated than we want to deal with and traveling through Texas and Louisiana has brought that tension forward for us.  It’s something I’m really struggling with.  

Privilege

I read the book “No Baggage” by Clara Bensen.   It’s about a girl who joins a guy she’s only known for a few weeks on a trip to Europe. They book a plane ticket and a return ticket from a different country and leave on the adventure with the clothes they are wearing, an extra pair of underwear and a toothbrush.  Literally no baggage.  Fast forward into the book and Clara spends a few hours sitting with a fisherman in Istanbul who has all of his belongings in his backpack.  He is perplexed why a person like her would CHOOSE do something like that.  Travel – our adventure – is a first world concept.  It’s a privileged concept.  It’s interesting the reactions we get from people who hear about what we are doing. It ranges from disbelief to excitement to jealousy.  It is so outside the norm and is such a privileged thing to be able to do.  That has not escaped us.  Speaking of privilege there is this funny thing that only affects the affluent – it’s called decision fatigue.  It is the feeling of overwhelm and exhaustion of too many decisions.  When we first left in July we would make a point to never stop at a Starbucks.  We spent 5 or 10 minutes to find some cute little local place where Eddie could get coffee or I could find some internet. Sometimes it was fantastic. Sometimes it wasn’t… but that’s the adventure, right?  At this point, I think it’s safe to say that decision fatigue has hit both of us. Starbucks seems like an old friend. The smells are familiar.  The tastes are familiar.  We know exactly what are going to experience.  No surprises.  We are thoroughly enjoying this adventure, don’t get me wrong, but it is fair to say that we are both looking forward to settling for a while. Having a streets we know, friends we can see more than once, and being able to find our belongings without having to empty the entire car.  Once we get up the coast we are going to settle for 6 (ish) months before we head overseas.  It’s not an exaggeration to say we’re a little excited for that “off” time.  

To lighten the mood a bit, here are a couple fun pics!

Who can go to Texas and not partake in BBQ?  Even we try to eat mostly plant based.  Not that day.  Haha.

Alligator hanging out in a Louisiana bayou.

Famous Louisiana Fried Chicken from Willie Mae’s Scotch House.

We’ve made our way through Texas and are getting close to leaving Louisiana.  Next stop, South Carolina!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Anthropology 101

This trip has most times felt like an extended and deep anthropological study.  When arriving at a new place we try to spend time with locals, do a bit of research and read the local papers.  Each place we've been to so far has been very drastically different than the others.

Since I last wrote, we spent a week in Las Vegas.  The name Las Vegas is Spanish for The Meadows.  The city was created because it was a lush meadow in the middle of a dessert (and the used it as a resupply point on the way to LA via the Colorado River).  The area was so vastly different than the dry scarce dessert around it.  The industry we know Vegas as today was largely created as a means of entertaining the largely male crews brought in to build the (now) Hoover Dam.  And now extravagance of the city makes the most stark contrast with the surrounding environment that I’ve ever seen.    

We had a very generous host, who showed us an absolutely fantastic time.  He took us out for a fun night with his friends, he bought us a meal, he toured us around and was a great conversationalist.  He let us take over his spare room, come and go from his awesome apartment as we wished and access all of his apartment's killer amenities.  

Eddie & Dustin our generous host. (Photo Credit: Dustin Nelson)

After a karaoke bar and a walk at the strip, Dustin took us out for some late night burritos! (Photo Credit: Dustin Nelson)

But despite Dustin being a perfect host, it's impossible not to feel a tremendous sadness when you're there.  With the history, it's not surprising that we read about some of the worst schools, the worst access to health care and the highest suicide rates in the country.  We spent a day on the strip and saw more overindulgence, blatant excess and garish objectification than I've ever seen.  It was heartbreaking.

We also had really been struggling with the feeling that we had been indulging a bit too much ourselves on this trip.  So in the spirit of restoration, we decided to cleanse.  We are feeling healthier and happier and are now exploring some of the most glorious canyons we've ever seen.

Grand Canyon

Biking around Grand Canyon

Antelope Canyon

The light filtering into the slot canyon made the sandstone light up in brilliant colors.

Next Stop: El Paso, Texas!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Legendary Stuff That Happens When You Travel...

Mark About a week ago we were out for dinner at Comal, a Mexican restaurant, in Berkeley.  Earlier that day we had packed up to move, went on a 49 mile scenic drive around San Francisco, drove to Berkeley, unpacked at our new digs, and did laundry.  I was feeling pretty beat and therefore a little cranky.  Eddie and I went for a little stroll to find some food but we couldn't decide on anything.  We finally got to this Mexican restaurant. It looked pretty good, and I had no desire to keep exploring, so we stopped.  

Being as tired as I was, I was pretty quiet. When our meal arrived so did the meal at table right next to us (the tables were close) and the gentleman at that table got the exact same thing that Eddie did.  My husband, being his charismatic self, used Mole as a conversation starter.  We found out just a couple of minutes in that the gentleman that we were talking to was Mark Siegel, the currently retired, famous visual effects sculptor/creature maker/digital artist.  We spent the next hour or so chatting with Mark and his engaging dinner guest Sue.  

We chatted about the awesome movies he worked on.  We browsed the mini portfolio on his phone.  

Mark working on the early stages of Slimer from Ghostbusters.

Mark working on ET for some of the shots done when it was updated on the 20th Anniversary.

The ET photo was made into a postage stamp.

Eddie brought up the book "Creativity Inc" (about Pixar) that we had just finished reading.  Mark talked about his time at Lucas Films, recalling Ed (the author of the book) and when Pixar was just a division of Lucas Films.  We chatted about a T-Rex skeleton cast project he worked on at the campus of Berkeley, which we were going to see in the morning.  He also spent a little time telling us about the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, which he regularly volunteered at.  We chatted about our trip and also the trip he took across Europe.  We talked about our blog and both Mark and Sue we're excited to follow us. They had a Ukulele performance to get to, so dinner and amazing conversation came to a close.  We exchanged info and both went our separate ways.

We headed off to Yosemite for a few days and then stopped in the San Jose area for a few days to see the stuff south of San Francisco that we had missed (Stanford, Apple Headquarters, Computer History Museum, etc.).

We decided, since we were so close, to make a trip up to the Walt Disney Family Museum.  It was Mark's morning to volunteer, so not only did we get to explore a truly amazing museum, Mark stayed around after his shift and explored with us.  Some of his friends made the model of Disneyland, so he showed us some unique and "hidden" features of the model - such as a figurine of Walt and his daughter standing inside the castle.  We feel incredibly blessed to have met and gotten to know such an incredible and fascinating man.  

Our first real Hollywood experience and we were still in Northern California!  This morning, we got a warm sunny greeting from LA - and we’re thrilled to explore this thriving metropolis and find all of the glamor and magic this town has to offer!  If you have any recommendations, please send them our way!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

January Wanderings

We started this month exhausted.  After Voltage we were beat.  We spent the first few days resting but instead of getting our groove back Eddie got sick.  For those of you who know my husband will understand just how sick he was when I say that he was totally fine with 4 days of afternoon naps and movie marathons. We were supposed to head down to Montana to see some good friends, but coincidentally they got sick the same time Eddie did, so we went to the best place to be sick and whiney… Mom’s house!

(P.S.  They have finally released the full video of the Voltage skit.  When I said in my last blog that I was the costume coordinator, you can now see all the costumes, hair and make-up that I was responsible for.  Click to watch!)

Well, we’ve finally recovered and have made our way down to California.  A stop at the Sea Lion Caves, a scenic drive through the Avenue of Giants, quick stop at the Glass Beach in Fort Bragg and then we found ourselves in Santa Rosa.  Our stop in Santa Rosa was completely haphazard and yet SO wonderful.  We decided to stay for a day and explore the area. Little did we know it’s in the middle of wine country and happens to be the headquarters for some of our favorite places, Korbel (the only true champagne made outside of France), Guayaki Yerba Mate, and Lagunitas.

Coastal redwoods in the Avenue of the Giants.

Coastal redwoods in the Avenue of the Giants.

Drive-Thru Tree.

Glass Beach at Fort Bragg.

Korbel California Champagne.

When we first stopped at Guayaki, we were disappointed because it was closed for renovation… but Eddie did what Eddie does and went through the open back door which the construction guys were using (against my recommendations).  We spent the next 30 minutes chatting with the manager and getting a sneak peek at their new construction.  Noah let us do some Yerba sampling and gave us a few bottles to go. It was a fun private tour and something we would have never experienced if not for Eddie’s curiosity and boldness.

Our next stop was supposed to be Yosemite, but a mountain snowstorm foiled our plans, so San Francisco came a little sooner than our itinerary scheduled.  San Francisco was a whirlwind.  We spent 12-14 hours a day exploring, squeezing every little bit of the sights in that we could.  Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, China Town, Fisherman’s Wharf, Cable Car Museum, Fortune Cookie Factory, Lombard Street, traditional Irish Coffee, Ghirardelli Square, Golden Gate Park, Japanese Tea Garden, Autodesk Gallery (if you are ever in San Francisco, this is really an incredible gallery), a 49 Mile Scenic Driving Tour and so much more.

Golden Gate Bridge.

At Alcatraz we learned not only about that place but also about the how the prison system works in our country currently.  A very heavy day!

Alcatraz Cell.  It’s 5′x9′.  

Former inmate William Baker doing a book signing.  We spent a number of minutes chatting with him.

The largest and oldest China Town in the country preparing for Chinese New Years.

Stopped at a recommended restaurant.  This little cart comes by the table every few minutes filled with new and fresh things.  You pick a plate and they stamp your ticket.  When you’re done, you’ll need that cart to roll you out of there!  haha!  Most amazing Chinese food ever!

Beautiful flowers in the Japanese Tea Garden.

On our way to Yosemite, we stopped at Berkeley.  The campus and city of Berkeley was great.  We thoroughly enjoyed touring the campus and exploring the area.  And now we’re out at Yosemite!

We have learned quite a bit since starting our US portion of the adventure.  

1.     California drivers are jerks!

2.     I need to blog more.  When I sit down to write, I could write 5 pages, but I don’t want to overwhelm you, so many stories get left out.

3.     The best experiences happen when we do what is unconventional (and if I’m being honest, it’s when Eddie uses his extensive conversational skills)

4.     We really like college towns… and California much more than we anticipated.

5.     Long-term traveling is not a “vacation”.  So many people make comments about how “easy” our life is.  You try taking all of your belongings with you without knowing what is happening next week and sometimes where you’ll be sleeping that night… it’s A LOT of work.  This takes much much much more focused effort to maintain than life in Seattle did.  

At just over a page of text, I’ll stop… but I promise we’ll write again soon!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Highs and Lows

It’s been a while since I’ve written.  All our weeks in Moose Jaw have been vastly the same.  We slept without an alarm, which is glorious.  We spent 20ish hours a week at Joe’s Place prepping for Voltage as I was given the title of costume coordinator, which included coordinating costumes, hair and make-up for 35 characters.  Eddie was the designated shopper and prize patrol and all around problem-solver extraordinaire .  We caught up with many, many old friends and even reconciled some strained relationships.

We had the opportunity to help a friend house sit which was wonderful and provided some order and consistency to our life.  Moving around continuously has been by far the most difficult thing with traveling. Having our own space has been huge for us.  

Being in Moose Jaw has been a mixture of emotions for us… me especially.  The pace of life, as I talked about in my last post, is so very different than what I’ve become accustom to.  Product availability here is also not what we’re accustomed to.  My organizational OCD has been “deprogramed” to the chaos that is youth ministry.  When we headed up to Edmonton for Christmas we really felt that our experiences confirmed over and over again that this is probably not the place we’d want to end up permanently.

And then everything changed. Allan Buchanan was my pastor at Hillcrest Church and therefore my boss for the 8 years I spent at Hillcrest.  Allan passed away while we were away for Christmas, which really began this switch to nostalgia.  Our first day back in Moose Jaw from Christmas in Edmonton we attended Allan’s funeral. We spent the day celebrating the life of the Godliest man I have ever known all while being surrounded by people who have been loving and nurturing me since 2003.  It was sad because he is no longer with us, but Allan leaving an incredible legacy and now being in the glory of Jesus is something to be celebrated! We then jumped right into prepping for and then rocking Voltage the very next day. It’s like “Cheers,” it feels so comfortable.  Everyone knows us.  There is a lot of history.  I’ve walked around that church literally a thousand times… I could do it in my sleep. Though the thing about Voltage is that it’s surreal… it is a high like no other, but it’s not real day-to-day life.  The other thing about Voltage is that staying up for 24 hours when you’re 30 is different than when you’re 19.  This was my 9th Voltage and my recovery this time was by far the worst. I managed to stay away from all my usual Voltage vices (Slurpees, pop, chocolate, burgers), but even so, my body is telling me that it’s not so happy about that little stunt.  Haha

We have one more day of recovery before we make our way to Montana and start the epic road trip that will be the next few months and I am feeling as warm and fuzzy about Voltage/Joe’s Place and Moose Jaw as ever.  It was really really good to be here.  We’ve learned a lot.  The thing that I keep learning is that you can get further by not knowing all the answers. Exploration and innovation is more important than the answers.

Here is the Voltage Highlight Video!  Check Eddie out as Superman!

This is the final scene in the skit in the main session.

Skit group photo.  The 35+ costumed characters were my responsibility.  I even got the chance to do the joker make up personally!

Here is the costume crew (Sean Gurnsey, Emily Karn, myself and my wonderful Husband) with the most complicated costume, the 9′ Groot!

And last but not least is a video that Eddie made of Groot which he put all of the finishing touches on (moss and paint).  Eddie was also on Groot duty during the night for touch ups as well as getting the actor in and out of the costume and assisting him in moving around the building as needed. I am Groot!

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Moose Jaw Musings

It has been a bit of a whirlwind here. We started day 1 here with a full 8 hours of class and then continued that pattern for a week!

Since then it's been a mixture of moving around every week, catching up with old friends, volunteering and getting sick.

It is a drastically different pace of life here. Unlike in Seattle, no one is in a hurry. Traffic can be infuriating. I feel like the 4.5 years in Seattle has turned me into a true American. I drive like an American. I shop like an American. I wait in line like an American. I don't know how to live in Moose Jaw anymore. I thought it would be like riding a bike... I thought I would very easily just fall into the swing of things. I thought wrong.

It's an interesting challenge to be constantly be moving around. Every week we are introduced to a new environment. That is new germs, new allergens, new expectations, new routines. It has been a surprisingly large challenge to keep our WIG's (Wildly Important Goals) on the forefront. I thought since we had no real plans and no schedule we would have TONS of time. It feels like we've had so many things come up that we are just now figuring out how to really work out our schedule for the sake of our priorities. It's been good preparation for the new year. It's also been a good challenge to focus on finding happiness in the moment.

It's been a blast catching up with old friends. Going out anywhere... Even to the grocery store and running into at least one person we know.

We had the opportunity to dog-sit and I fell in love. He is the cutest dog I've ever had the pleasure of spending time with. It was very difficult not to stuff him in my suitcase. During that week we worked on his high five!

And we have been enjoying some extravagant cooking!

Though for the first time in the last 5 years, sandal weather is rapidly disappearing! It is starting...

And while I do not look forward to the impending transition to shoes, I do look forward to digging deeper into Voltage preparation. :-)

[eddie-and-jennifer]

Oh C-A-N-A-D-A...

It has been a full and reflective month.  We started the Canadian leg of our trip early October, beginning with family we don’t get to see very often.

It was a drastically different pace of life.  We went from hiking 5-15 miles and exploring wilderness every single day to looking through photo albums and soaking up stories from the last hundred years.  The time we had with my Grandpa and Grandma Griff was so precious.  We have a much deeper understanding of them.  We understand the significance of some of the pieces in their home and have a full understanding of the rich tradition and history with them.  My Grandma even took the time to teach me the fine art of Ukrainian perogy making.  

We also had the opportunity to catch up with so many of our lower mainland friends.  It was an incredible 10 days but it was such a weighty time for me as I feel more connected to my grandparents than I ever have yet we have the least amount of time left with them than we’ve ever had.

The drive between Abbotsford and Pentiction took us right by the hotel we got married at, so we HAD to stop for lunch!  We looked over the same pond of lily pads 5 years later (almost to the day) and truly celebrated how much richer our love is today.  I cannot imagine doing life with anyone else.

Without the talent of Still Life Photography, it’s hard to tell, but we are in the exact same spots where the big pics were taken!

We transitioned from one set of grandparents to my other set.  Grandpa and Grandma Fehr hosted us in Penticton, BC for my first real Canadian Thanksgiving in 4 years and my first family Thanksgiving in at least 8 years.  My grandma was a couple weeks post hip replacement, so my Mom was there as well, to assist during her recovery.  We had so much fun!  We thoroughly enjoyed the turkey my Aunt spent two days cooking.  We drank wine, we ate desserts.  We chatted extensively, we laughed joyously. It was a great time of reconnection.  

On the road again…

After a quick couple days in Edmonton, an expertly cooked meal cooked by my Dad, and a trip to a gloriously comfortable VIP movie theatre where they serve your popcorn right to you in your assigned seat, we arrived back in southern Saskatchewan.

We jumped immediately into a Seminary leadership class covering Strategic Thinking, Learning, Planning and Executing.  It was a good exercise in flexing and rolling, switching gears from family oriented time to serious study time.  Going from moving around 8 hours a day to sitting in a chair for 8 hours a day. It definitely was a challenge to make the switch, but the material so helpful and the experience of our professor, Dr. Michael Pawelke (president of Briercrest), was so rich that we couldn’t focus on anything else.  I cannot even express the value of this class.  This is probably the first time in our school experience where we are both legitimately extremely excited to begin working on assignments.

Being back at Briercrest & Moose Jaw feels a little strange. I took a stroll down the halls during a break on the first day.  I was greeted with “Welcome Home”.  The comment was innocent, but coinciding with a strategic thinking class it stimulated profound reflection. It gave us a jumpstart on our 3-5 year life plan, which is actually a part of an assignment.  

Spoiler alert! It’s NOT likely to end with living in Moose Jaw.

That being said, we ARE going to be in Moose Jaw and the surrounding area until Voltage.  Looking forward to catching up with all our Sask friends!  :-)